Where Have All the Bras Gone?

Should the baring-your-bosom trend be nipped in the bud?

Peekaboob! The bra may be getting pink-slipped, at least among the B-cupped and beautiful. Celebrities, socialites, and models — that superspecies that often goes to work braless anyway — are losing a layer, driving those around them to flee in puritanical horror, gawk in tumescence, or attempt strictly above-the-chin cocktail conversation. (Even French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy reportedly flew free at a recent state dinner with Russian president Dmitry Medvedev. If that doesn't improve East-West relations, I'm not sure what will.)

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Headlights were also in the spotlight at the CFDA Awards this summer, when the first ladies of fashion, Diane von Furstenberg and Donna Karan, seemingly went au naturel under their off-the-shoulder frocks. They pulled it off with aplomb — just like Carmen Kass and Tamara Mellon, whose dramatic dresses didn't leave much room for lingerie.

Of course, "there is a precedent of braless and sheer in fashion," says Cameron Silver of Los Angeles boutique Decades, pointing to Rudi Gernreich's and Yves Saint Laurent's '60s designs, which were followed by Halston's and Stephen Burrows's dresses and the fembots from Robert Palmer's 1986 MTV hit "Addicted to Love."

Whether you follow their liberated examples should not necessarily be determined by how long ago you graduated from high school. "Cup size and the construction of the dress dictate whether it's okay," says stylist and Bazaar contributing fashion editor Mary Alice Stephenson.

But just such a gamble could land you the proverbial booby prize. So what's the line between chic and cheeky? Sheer and braless should probably remain on the runways — unless you are a young Jane Birkin. "In real life, people are just going to look at your boobs the whole time," warns New York scenester and fashion expert Fabiola Beracasa, who has been known to wear a daring top or two. Even she has her limits, however. "I'm not going to show nipples. I think it's a little bit rude."

All agree that flashing your brassiere is hardly appealing either. "Bra straps are antisexy," says Carmen D'Alessio, the iconic former Studio 54 publicist who is still fond of skintight Hervé Léger numbers with little underneath.

Luckily, there are ways to solve this sartorial puzzle. Stylists are particularly fond of transparent fashion tape, which can be used to literally lift breasts up into the desired shape. "Set it and forget it," advises Beracasa. Another trick is to have a tailor add extra lining to the top of anything that will be worn braless, adds Stephenson, who gives bad reviews to so-called petals (adhesive stickers that provide coverage) since their flower-shaped outlines are often visible under light. She also photographs her clients from every angle to make sure there is no chance of a red-carpet wardrobe malfunction.

So is the dictum "If you've got it, flaunt it"? Perhaps. My husband, who has seen a lot of untethered tatas, says there are three qualifications for good bralessness: "The breasts cannot be fake, they can't be pancakey, and the nipples can't go off in different directions like Marty Feldman's eyes."

Ultimately, says Silver, it comes down to what kind of attention you want. "After a party, do you want to be remembered for your intellect or for being the one who didn't wear a bra?" Maybe you can do both.